The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-06-23

full and the ladies received q hearty en-
core, to which they responded grace
fully.
Grafton, '.The Laboratory of Life,"
by David A. Eckert Of Hiawatha.
Space without limit is Gods laboratory.
There he formed the earth. that won
derful creation which no scientist has
ever been able to analyze. In the labor
atory of life our minds and characters
are formed. our ambition and our hopes
and fears analysed. AS the poisonous
vaporS rise from the chemists retort so
the evil that is in man is tried out in
this laboratory whose great alchemist
is God" The grafton was well writ
ten. the delivery was good, and was
greeted with applause.
Oration-.tThe Mission of Mystery, %
by Ellinor r. Kirby, of Industry, Kan
sas: 81 hold in my hand a bulb which,
say chemists, consists of SO much starch,
contains so many MOLECULES; but we can
tell nothing of the forces it contains
when buried in the earth, to spring
forth a regal lilly. The mission of
mystery is development. The tiny
root grows better in the deep earth
All great projects are enveloped in
mystery. The greater of all mysteries
is DEATH" The speakers voice was a
little bit low at times, and could not
be heard distinctly through all the
house, but the hearty round of applause
which followed amply testified to the
appreciation of the audience.
Miss Louisa Fox and Miss Lura Ba-
ker sang a pretty vocal duet entitled,
Beware" They were greeted with
prolonged and hearty encore.
Grafton, ''The Growth of Thought, u
by Emmerson w. Myler of Humboldt.
The progress of thought is the uprais-
ing of man. Our railroads, steamboats,,
buildings and masterpieces of art are
the result of thought. The activity of
mind ever seeks for something on which
to expend it's energy. The result of
this is the Egyption pyramids, the
great wars of the crusades and other
gigantic evidences of thought in the
past ages. The Grafton showed evil
dence of study on the part of the speak
or and was well spoken.
Grafton = "Civilizing Forces" by
Alfredo Judd, of Melvern, Kas.: The
orb of civilization ever moves onward
and westward, leaving ruins in its path
way. The ancient power of Greece
and Rome are in ruins, and civilization
is busy in the western world. The
press is the greatest factor in the work
of civilization. AS great author has
said, sthe pen is the lever which moves
the world and the ink roller the batter
ing RAM The press preserves the rec
ords of civilization, and records its
progress. The vaIedictory followed
this grafton by the same speaker. For
the class she said farewell to our city
and our people who had been their
friends, to their fellow students to the
faculty and to the regents. The vale
dictory was very touching and brought
tears to many eyes.
Next followed a piano solo-"Sere-
made and Trio" by Miss Inez Jay
which was greeted with applause.
President Rice then presented the
diplomas to graduates, making brief
but impressive address to them touch
ing on their future prospects and on
their past record. This was followed
by chorus-''So of Peace" by the
Normal chorus class, which was very
pretty and very well sung. The exer-
cises closed with the benediction.
The assembly room was very hand
somely decorated with flowers with
pictures for the occasion, and with its
numerous windows affording excellent
ventilation, made an exceedingly
pleasant place to hold such exercises
in.
During the performance of the pro-
gramme the orators were all presented
with numerous handsome boquets by
friends and admirers in the audience.
They were taken by little Glover
girls'' and carried to the recipient on
the rOstrum.
At $50 O'Clock the alumni held their
annual meeting, at which time election
of officers was held, the result of which
will be given in to-morrow's issue. at
5 o'clock the alumni banquet was held
in the gymnasium, where the large
tables were spread, accommodating
several hundred guests. AT $50 last
evening class receptions were held, to
which the public was cordially invited.
Thus ended the twenty-third annua
commencement of the Emporia State
Normal. The class which yesterday
completed its career represent this in
stitution as fifty as any that has ever
gone from her doors. May success and
good luck attend their future career.
REPORTORIAL REFERENCE.
The motto of the class was cut Pro-
sim.''
The speakers all did well without
exception.
The majority of the class are ladies,
all of them handsome.
Busts of Shakespeare, and other
eminent men, adorned the room and
smiled approvingiy over the assembled
multitudes.
A handsome banner with the class
motto workeds on it hung over the
portrait of president Taylor just over
the rostrum.
One of the speakers made very
neat reference to our admirable
asphaltum payements, whice was
heartily applauded.
The handsome 18x24 crayon portrait
of President Taylor, which hung so
conspicuously over the rostrum this
morning during commencement exer-
cises, is the work of former pupil of
the presidents, Prof. A. Montgomery,
of Vermillion, Kas., who drew this por-
trait and presented it to his former
teacher as a token of his respect and
esteem for him.
The Alumni Banquet.
The Alumni BANQUET took place in the